Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

wa97

ws92

$244.95

SKU 900

750ml

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The 2003 vintage has produced a stunning follow up to our 2002 vineyard-designate offering from the famed BV4 block of the To Kalon property. Dense and opaque, it is dark ruby in color with a deep violet rim. The nose seduces with heady aromas of blueberry, black cherry, mocha and dried herbs. Satiny and viscous in the mouth, the palate lavishes with flavors of black currant, cherry, tobacco and bitter cocoa around a classic core of graphite, cigar box and spice. Ripe tannins and toasty oak provide a lasting finish for this elegant offering from To Kalon; a superb example of power and finesse in balance.

Wine AdvocateAfter the perfect 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard (thatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s right, I raised my score by a point), the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon comes across as slightly more mortal. One of the outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons of the vintage, it tastes like a California concoction of La Mission Haut Brion and Montrose. Its deep purple color is followed by a sumptuously pure nose of sweet scorched earth, hot rocks, creme de cassis, graphite, and charcoal. The tannin is sweet, but elevated. Full-bodied and powerful, with 20-25 years of life, this spectacularly rich, dense, multi-layered effort oozes classic Cabernet Sauvignon varietal character.

Robert Parker, December 2005

ws92

Wine SpectatorSupple and elegantly styled, with rich flavors built around a core of creamy oak, ripe currant, black cherry and herbal sage flavors that are intense and complex without being heavy. Finishes with a tight focus and rich tannins. Best from 2008 through 2012.